Brace locking device



July 29, 1958 Filed Feb. 21, 1956 R. M. DUNNING ETAL BRACE LOCKING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet l P0 berf M Dunn/n INVENTOR Hare/d A. /V/g /5/7 ATTORNEY July 29, 1958 R. .M. DUNNING ET AL BRACE LOCKING DEVICE Filed Feb. 21, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet z F [2 F 7 NVENTOR Fab r? M Dunn/r HOko/a A? A/ie/sen A%ORNEY July 29, 1958 R. M. DUNNING ET AL 2,845,292

BRACE LOCKING DEVICE Filed Feb. 21, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVEN;IOR Faber-f M Dunn/n9 Harv/d /V/'e/$en BY QBWYH ATTORNEY United States Patent Q1 BRACE LOCKING DEVICE Robert M. Dunning, St. Paul, and Harold R. Nielsen, Mendota, Minm; said Dunning assignor to said Nielsen Application February 21, 1956, Serial No. 567,042

3 Claims. (Cl. 28799) This invention relates to an improvement in brace locking device and deals particularly with ameans of holding a toggle brace in aligned position.

Various types of devices have been. employed for holding toggle bracesin alignment. Devices of this type are particularly useful in conjunction with braces used for supporting table legs and the like. As braces of this type are usually not easily accessible, some difficulty is experienced in operating the brace locks if they are not easily operable. The present invention resides in the provision of a simple device for accomplishing the desired result.

A further feature of the present invention lies in the provision of a lock for a toggle brace which will operate automatically as the braces swing toward alignment. The lock includes a pivoted channel-shaped member having its pivot point between, the endsof, the member and through the parallel sides thereof. As the braces swing toward alignment one toggle braceengages, the channel side in such a Way as to swing the channel out of the path of movement of the brace. When thetwo braces are aligned the sides of thechannel embrace the sides of the pivotal links to hold the same aligned.

An added feature of the present invention resides; in the provision of a novel means of limiting the pivotal movement of the links so that the links cannot move past aligned position. As one end of the channelpivots out of the path of the pivoted brace, the other end moves into the path of the end of the brace projecting past its pivot so that the two braces cannot pivot past alignment.

A further feature of. the present invention resides in the provision of a brace lock which permits the relative pivoting of the braces in one direction only. Thus when the lock is manually disengaged to permit the links or braces to pivot from aligned position, the pivoted brace is still restrained from pivotal movement in one direction.

'A further feature of the preferredform of our invention resides in the provision of a finger on one ofthe links or braces which is engageable in a notch in the other of the links or braces when the links are in alignment thereby positively locking the braces from pivotal movement beyond aligned position.

These and other objects and novel features of our invention will be more clearly and fully set forth in the following specification and claims.

In the drawings forming a part of the specification:

Figure l is a bottom plan view showing a table supporting a leg structure in folded position.

Figure 2 is a sectional view of one end of the table and leg structure.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the leg structure partially folded.

Figure 4 is an elevational view of the brace lock with the braces aligned.

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of the brace lock.

Figure 6 is an elevational view of the brace lock, the position of the view being reversed from that of Figure 4.

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Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 showing the braces in partially folded condition.

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 5' showing the braces in folded and side by side relation.

Figure 9 is a sectional view'through the lock and braces.

Figure 10 shows thelock pivoted into position in which the links may be pivoted.

Figure 11 is a sectional view along line,11-11 in Figure 6 through one of the braces and locking toward the brace lock at one end thereof.

Figure 12 is a sectional view through the line 12-12 of Figure 7.

Figure 13 is a perspective view of amodified form of the brace lock with the links in folded position.

Figure 14 is a view similar to Figure 13 but showing the links in aligned and locked position.

Figure 15 is a sectional'view through the pivoted lock, the view being taken along a side of the links or braces.

This application is a continuation, in part, of the application of Robert M. Dunning, Serial #430,667, filed May 18, 1954 (now abandoned) for brace locking device.

The toggle brace lock may be used for any suitable purpose but is shown used in conjunctionwith a table A having a table top 10 of any suitable shape and design which is shown as having a pair of aligned bearings 12 secured'to the undersurface thereof. The bearings 12 support the transverse top member 13v of a leg unit 10- catedin general by the numeral 14.

Theleg unit lap-includes the top transverse member 13 which is connected at its opposite ends to parallel legs. 15 and. A reinforcing bar 17 is shown connecting the legs 15 and 16 at a point spaced from the bottom thereof.

Anear or lug 19 is mountedupon the cross member 17 intermediate the ends thereof, this car 19 extending upwardly from the brace 17 in upright position of the table. An angular bracket 20 is secured to the undersurface of, the table top'10 as shown in Figuresl and 2. A first toggle brace 21 is pivotally. connected at 22 to the car 19. A second toggle brace 23 is pivotally connected at 24 to the bracket 20. The two braces are pivotally connected at 2,5,and are soproportioned that the braces 21 and 23 are aligned when the table is erect and are in side by side relation flat against the undersurfaceof the table top. when the table is in folded condition.

The brace lock B is designed to hold the braces Hand 23 in. aligned condition. While both of the braces obviously pivot with respect to each other, for the purpose of description, the. link 21 which supports the brace lock will be described asthe first link and the pivoted link 23 will be described as the second link or the pivoted link.

The link, or brace, 21 extends beyond the pivot 25 and is bent to form a generally U-shaped fold of material 26 which forms a notch or recess 27' therein for accommodating a pivot pin 29. The pivot pin 29 may be welded or otherwise secured in position to extend transversely of the brace 21. The brace also includes an extended end 30 which is designed to extend along the brace 23 when the braces are aligned.

The lock includes a channel-shaped body 31 having a curved base 38 as seen in Figure 9 and parallel sides 32 and '33'as seen in Figures 6, 7 and 11. The channel base 38 is designed to engage against the extended end 30 of the brace 21 as seen in Figure 9, this engagement limiting, pivotal movement of the lock in one direction. The pivot; 29 extends through the channel sides 32 and 33 intermediate theends, thereof so.as, topivotally support the lock to the brace 21.

A spring 34 is interposed between the brace 21 and an indentation 35 in the base 32 of the channel 31. This spring 34 preferably encircles the pivot 25 and is located thereby. The spring 34 tends to urge the upper extremity 36 of the locking channel base 38 against the extended link end 30.

As is evident from Figure 5 of the drawings, when the links 21 and 23 are in alignment, the upper corners 37 of the channel sides 32 and 33 extend on opposite sides of the brace 23 as well as on opposite sides of the brace extension so as to hold these two parts aligned and to hold links or braces from relative pivotal movement. When it is desired to fold the braces, the lock channel 31 is pivoted into the position shown in Figure 10 of the drawings. When the channel 31 is in the position shown in Figure 10 the upper corners 37 of the channel sides pivot out of the path of movement of the brace 23 permitting this brace to pivot about the axis of the pivot 25.

From an examination of Figure 10 and by comparing this figure to Figure 5, it will be noted that when the channel 31 is pivoted in a clockwise direction to interlock the braces, the similar projections 39 on opposite channel sides 32 and 33 pivot partially against the portion 40 of the link 23 which extends past the pivot 25. With reference to Figures 6 and 7 of the drawings, it will be noted that the brace 23 is provided with a square corner 41 on one side of the center of the brace 23 and is provided with a rounded edge 42 on the other side of the center, the rounded edge 42 permitting the brace 23 to pivot within the projecting sides 39 of the channel 31. As is shown in Figure 7, the brace 23 can pivot in a clockwise direction about the axis of the pivot 25. However, the longitudinal edge of the corner 41 prevents the brace 23 from pivoting in the counterclockwise direction while the channel 31 is in unlocked position due to the engagement between the longitudinal edge of the corner 41 and the projection 39 of the channel side 33. Stated otherwise, when the brace lock is in the position shown in Figure 5, the lower end of the brace 23 may pivot but pivotal movement of the brace 23 is restrained by the upper corners 37 of the channel 31. When the lock is in the position shown in Figure 10, the shoulders 37 are released so that the brace 23 may pivot but the opposite end of the channel simultaneously is pivoted into locking position with the projecting end 40 of the brace 23 so that this brace may pivot in only one direction.

After the braces pivot through ninety degrees or somewhat less, and if the channel is held in the position shown in Figure 10, the brace 23 acts against the inclined edge 43 of the projection 39 to cam the look from the position shown in Figure 10 to the position Shown in Figure 5. Thus in the event the channel is held manually in the position shown in Figure 10 after the pivotal movement of the link 23 has commenced, and the projection 39 is in the path of movement of the link, the pivotal movement of the link or brace will swing the lock out,

of the path of movement of the link 23 so that the two links or braces may pivot into side by side relation. Usually, however, the channel is released after the links start pivoting.

In Figures 13 to 15 of the drawings, a modified form of construction is illustrated. This arrangement is virtuallly identical with the previous form of construction but adds a stop finger or lug on one of the links which definitely limits pivotal movement of the links. As a result there is no possibility that the links will swing beyond aligned position even in the event the sides of the channel-shaped locking member become bent or distorted.

In the arrangement illustrated, the brace lock is indicated in general by the letter C. The lock is designed to provide a means of holding the links 45 and 46 in A, aligned relation. These links are pivotally connected by a pivot 47.

The link 46 is provided with a generally U-shaped fold of material 49 which forms a notch or recess 50 therein for accommodating a pivot 51. The link 46 extends beyond the U-shaped fold 49 and is provided with an angularly bent finger or lug 52 at its extremity. This finger or lug 52 is formed by bending a portion of the end of the link in substantially right angular relations to the J surface of the link.

The link 45 is provided with a notch 53 in an edge thereof. This notch 53 is spaced from the pivot 47 a distance similar to the spacing between the pivot 47 and the lug 52. As a result the lug 52 engages in the notch 53 when the links 45 and 46 are aligned. The notch 53 is of proper depth so that the side edge 54 of the lug engages the base of the notch 53 when the links are aligned. This engagement limits the pivotal movement of the two links to a position in which they are substantially aligned.

The pivoted locking member 31 operates exactly in the manner previously described in conjunction with the brace lock B. The link 45 is provided with an extended projection 55 which is engageable with a side of the pivoted locking member to prevent pivotal movement in an improper direction when the two links are pivoted toward the folded position illustrated in Figure 13 of the drawings.

In accordance with the patent statutes, We have described the principles of construction and operation of our brace locking device, and while we have endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, we desire to have it understood that obvious changes may be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of our invention.

We claim:

1. A lock for toggle links including a pair of toggle links, means pivotally connecting said links, said links extending beyond the pivot to form extended portions, a channel-shaped member pivotally supported intermediate its ends on the extended portion of one link, a pivot extending through the sides of the channel-shaped member and extending transversely of said one link and forming the pivotal connection between said channel-shaped member and said one link, said channel-shaped member being pivotal between two extreme positions, the sides of said channel-shaped member embracing a portion of the other link at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between the links in one of said extreme positions and when said links are aligned in extended position, the sides of said channel-shaped member embracing the extended portion of said other link in the other extreme position thereof, the extended portion of said other link having one side thereof cut away to permit pivotal movement of said extended portion between the sides of the channel-shaped member while the channel-shaped member is in said other extreme position.

2. The construction described in claim 1 and including a cam surface on said channel sides which may be engaged by said other link during pivotal movement References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Blink Sept. 23, 1941 Garner Nov. 22, 1955 

